Belmont Bruins at Kentucky Wildcats
· NCAA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP PRES. BY CAPITAL ONE - LEXINGTON REGION - 1st ROUND
70 - 73
Maci Morris' 7 free throws seal Kentucky's 73-70 victory over Belmont
![Belmont vs. Kentucky (Makayla Epps shoots in traffic) 3/17/2017 [800x450]](https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0317/r191167_800x450_16-9.jpg&w=900&h=360&scale=crop&location=origin)
Wildcats seniors Makayla Epps and Evelyn Akhator did their parts to get Kentucky ahead with 52 combined points that were needed to hold off the determined Bruins. Belmont got within 69-68 on two Sally McCabe free throws with 13 seconds remaining.
Morris was already clicking at the line by then and sealed the victory with four more in the final seconds for 15 points and an edge that proved critical against Belmont's last chance to tie.
Darby Maggard was defended well and shot an off-balance 3 that missed as the horn sounded to end Belmont's school-record 21-game winning streak.
Maggard's finished with 15 points. Kylee Smith had 23 and Sally McCabe 16 for the Bruins.
Epps' shooting got the Wildcats started in both halves, the most important contribution with consecutives 3s out of the break in a 16-3 run that changed the momentum. All of her points came in handy, though not as much as Morris' points from the line as the 88-percent shooter delivered.
Epps scored 30 with a career-high five 3-pointers while Akhator added 22.
Kentucky faces the Western Kentucky vs. Ohio State winner in the second round on Sunday.
How can I watch Bruins vs. Wildcats?
- TV Channel: Bruins vs Wildcats 2021 College Basketball, week 1, is broadcasted on ESPN2.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Recent Plays
| 4th 0:00 |  |
End of Game | 70 - 73 |
| 4th 0:01 |  |
Belmont Deadball Team Rebound. | 70 - 73 |
| 4th 0:01 | |
Darby Maggard missed Three Point Jumper. | 70 - 73 |
| 4th 0:03 | |
Belmont Timeout | 70 - 73 |
| 4th 0:03 |  |
Maci Morris made Free Throw. | 70 - 73 |
Statistics
 BEL |
UK |
|
|---|---|---|
| 27-59 | FG | 26-56 |
| 46 | Field Goal % | 46 |
| 9-20 | 3PT | 7-15 |
| 45 | Three Point % | 47 |
| 7-9 | FT | 14-19 |
| 78 | Free Throw % | 74 |
| 33 | Rebounds | 28 |
| 11 | Offensive Rebounds | 10 |
| 22 | Defensive Rebounds | 18 |
| 14 | Assists | 18 |
| 2 | Steals | 4 |
| 4 | Blocks | 2 |
| 13 | Turnovers | 7 |
| 0 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 13 | Total Turnovers | 7 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Points Off Turnovers | 0 |
| 0 | Fast Break Points | 0 |
| 0 | Points in Paint | 0 |
| 20 | Fouls | 12 |
| 1 | Largest Lead | 12 |
| 0 | Lead Changes | 0 |
| 0 | Percent Led | 0 |
Game Information
Location: Lexington, KY
Capacity:
2025-26 Missouri Valley Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murray State | 19-1 | - | 31-4 |
| Belmont | 16-4 | 3 | 20-12 |
| Illinois State | 13-7 | 6 | 24-14 |
| Bradley | 13-7 | 6 | 20-13 |
| Northern Iowa | 13-7 | 6 | 18-14 |
| Drake | 10-10 | 9 | 12-20 |
| UIC | 9-11 | 10 | 14-18 |
| Southern Illinois | 7-13 | 12 | 10-20 |
| Indiana State | 5-15 | 14 | 10-22 |
| Evansville | 5-15 | 14 | 10-25 |
| Valparaiso | 0-20 | 19 | 0-32 |
2025-26 Southeastern Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 15-1 | - | 36-4 |
| Texas | 13-3 | 2 | 35-4 |
| Vanderbilt | 13-3 | 2 | 29-5 |
| LSU | 12-4 | 3 | 29-6 |
| Oklahoma | 11-5 | 4 | 26-8 |
| Kentucky | 8-8 | 7 | 25-11 |
| Georgia | 8-8 | 7 | 22-10 |
| Ole Miss | 8-8 | 7 | 24-12 |
| Tennessee | 8-8 | 7 | 16-14 |
| Alabama | 7-9 | 8 | 24-11 |
| Texas A&M | 7-9 | 8 | 14-13 |
| Mississippi State | 5-11 | 10 | 18-13 |
| Florida | 5-11 | 10 | 18-15 |
| Missouri | 4-12 | 11 | 17-17 |
| Auburn | 3-13 | 12 | 15-17 |
| Arkansas | 1-15 | 14 | 12-20 |